Never Give up on Painting, Nazan Sonmez

A very well known Turkish artist, Sonmez Nazan, graduated from the Painting Department of Istanbul's State Academy of Fine Arts, where she had studied under the famous artist and poet Bedri Rahmi Eyuboglu. She is currently teaching as a professor at the faculty of the Applied Arts Department at the Hacettepe University School of Fine Arts.  She has had 20 private exhibitions but joined also many others. Her professional art carrier is celebrating 40 years now!

Could you intoduce your art in general?

I am not a ceramic artist, I`m a painter. I use traditional Turkish motives, from turkish culure.

Nature and trees are common motives in Nazans` works

What kind of art are you working on here on symposium?

I`m painting tiles. Normally, I do more traditional motives but my project for symposium has certain characteristics of graffiti. It will be a ceramic painting that will look like a special Turkish carpet with Turkish motives.

Where will you display your final work?

In a public park  named after Hayrettin Karaca, where there are many ceramic statues. 

How did you start with art? What were your beginnings with art?

I started from childhood, drawing. But I have been working professionaly in art for exactly 40 years.

What are your plans for future, after symposim?

I am a head of department of ceramics art at the Hacettepe University. I am always busy.  I like opening exhibitions and galleries are very open for cooperation.

Do you like the symposium so far?

The symposium is so good! Many artists come here and they are doing modern, high quality art. Students are very lucky that they can see them, help them and learn from them new techniques. For artists it is also beneficial to see what is happening in art worldwide. There is the mixture of sculpture, painting and ceramics!
Often, when you do the painting, you sell it and ends in the house. But these art works ends at public places. Parks, cancellaries, public buildings. That is also a big benefit of this symposium.
Very important is also the fact that this event is public. People can come and join, ask the questions, or try to make something themselves.

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